Boy, do we love playing the reclaim game. In our buy it, trash it culture, it’s almost a thrill to come up with creative ways to make old things new again. Laura Bergman, creator of Bottled Up Designs, feels the same way. Bergman has been reclaiming antique glass and bottles from the natural wooded habitat and rural farmland in Pennsylvania Amish Country, where she lives. Not only does she create unique jewelry pieces out of this reclaimed glass, but she also provides the history of each glass item.

The Vanilla Extract Bottle Earrings are handcut from empty bottles of vanilla, a staple item in every kitchen. These delicate amber glass oblong hoops dangle from sterling silver wire, and the edges have been filed for a smooth, rounded edge. Click here to read more

Handlebar, Fu Manchu, pencil – the varieties of mustache are endless. This Organic Cotton Mustache t-shirt, brought to us by the hilarious folks at Partybots, pays homage to a few.

But it’s not just funny – it’s smart too. You can buy it in either 100 % organic cotton or eco-heather, a blend of recycled polyester, organic cotton, and rayon made from naturally occurring polymers. Plus, you don’t have to be able to grow one to enjoy it, because it’s available in women’s and kids’ sizes too. Designs are affixed to these eco-friendly tees using a natural, water-based product instead of an aerosol adhesive, and all dyes used are low-impact.

It’s enough to make Trebek and Selleck to think about growing that ’stache back again.

Yup, you read right – they’re Birkenstocks. Like many companies with a longstanding green reputation, the shoe brand has recently upped the style quotient in their line, adding designs that are not only functional, but also fashionable.

Just like the footbeds in Birkenstock’s leather shoes, the Isis Sandal features a footbed made of cork, latex, and jute – some of the planet’s truly sustainable raw materials. And no part of the cork harvest is wasted. The ground cork that’s become a Birkenstock trademark is actually made from first-quality by-products from the wine industry. Click here to read more

A girl can never have too many summer dresses – they’re chic, easy to throw on in no time, and help you beat the heat. EcoSkin has helped add ‘smart’ to the list of the benefits of wearing dresses – designer Sandy Skinner crafts garments using Tencel and bamboo, both sustainable. EcoSkin’s is Tencel is 100% organic and biodegradable, extracted from wood pulp taken from tree farms that only practice sustainability. The brand’s bamboo is 100% naturally grown, requiring no pesticides, insecticides or fertilizers.

Skinner names the Italian Riviera and the women who work and play there as her influences, which explains the elegant drapery and high design aesthetic of each dress. The Brasenia dress, with its asymmetrical strap and bubble hem, gives off a playful, flirtatious vibe that’s perfect for summer barbecues and rooftop shindigs. Plus, it pairs well with both heels and flats, so you can take it with you to the beach or dress it up for a night on the town. Click here to read more

Daily Greenz #168

The official shoe of summer? Sandals, sandals, sandals. This time around, fashion seems to dictate that the more straps on your sandal, the better - gladiator styles are more stylish than ever.

So why not take part as a green gladiator? The Alkali sandal from Patagonia has enough straps to keep you hip, enough detailing to make a statement, and enough green elements to fit your eco-conscious lifestyle;  both the midsole and the rubber sole are made of partially recycled materials. So the impact you make is not only a stylish one, but also an eco-conscious one. And bonus - they’re so comfy you can wear them anywhere and everyone.

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Now we can be green all the way down to our skivvies - without sacrificing sex appeal. With the innovation of blended fabrics like organic silk/hemp and hemp/organic cotton, you can be sure that nothing comes between you and your underpinnings - like the pesticides and fungicides used to raise conventionally-grown cotton and silk. Most lingerie is made from synthetic materials, and because we wear underwear for most of the day, every day (well, most of us, at least…), we’re exposed to whatever chemicals those fabrics have been treated with. We prefer these sexy lingerie pieces, which keep girly bits AND the environment covered.

Perfectly Imperfect Organic Cotton Thong

The demi-thong ensures these stay comfortable; a lower rise and wider, contrasting lace-trimmed sides won’t cut into skin. The 90% organic cotton, 10% spandex blend promises they’re breathable and fit perfectly. Choose from natural with black lace (above), black with raspberry lace, or navy with purple lace.

Urban Fox Bamboo/Organic Cotton Stockings

We’ve never known thigh-high, back-seamed stockings to elicit any kind of complaint. Urban Fox makes life a little more exciting with this attention-grabbing design, made with a sustainable blend of bamboo and organic cotton. Pair with garters and a boy short and expect some major appreciation.

GreenKnickers Side Tie Hemp/Silk Blend Panty

Not only is GreenKnickers’ Side Tie Panty made with an eco-friendly blend of unbleached hemp and and silk, but their entire production process is also environmentally and socially conscious. Their cotton supply chain is certified fair trade, from farming to manufacturing, and they only used natural or SKAL-approved dyes. Plus, they only use recycled materials for their labels and gift boxes.

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Daily Greenz #156

With the popularization of reusable bags by celebrities and mainstream clothing and accessories brands, there’s now hardly a soul unaware that using plastic bags is far from eco-friendly. But exactly how bad are they? Bangladesh banned them four years ago. Beginning June 1, they’ll be banned in China. And last year, San Francisco was the first U.S. city to prohibit their distribution in supermarkets and chain pharmacies. So what’s behind these bans? Firstly, their production requires valuable, non-renewable petroleum, and lots of it – 12 million barrels of it, to be exact. Secondly, the roughly 100 billion plastic bags we use here in the U.S. take up to 1,000 years to begin to decompose, and they don’t biodegrade. Rather, they photodegrade, meaning they break down into small, toxic bits that end up contaminating soil and waterways over and over again. 

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Daily Greenz #145

New eco-designer Kate D’Arcy knows the way into a woman’s heart is through her wardrobe – or more specifically, through beautifully designed, absolutely comfortable clothing.  Her company Toggery uses 100% organic cotton and bamboo fibers for all her pieces and combines a classic design with vibrant colors, which are made from low-impact reactive dyes that use less energy and chemicals than natural or vegetable dyes.  Whether dressed up or dressed down, her collection of breathable, stretchy shirts, dresses, and leggings exudes a sense of luxury without the discomfort.  Best of all, it’s all produced locally in Pennsylvania by a certified socially compliant apparel manufacturer.  Toggery makes sustainable fashion available to budget-conscious consumers for $29 – $115 – a very reasonable price for these classic pieces.  View the summer collection at www.shopmodify.com or find a local retailer near you at www.toggerycollection.com.

Daily Greenz #143

Based on a simple mission to create 100% sustainable shoes, Simple Shoes offers an irresistible line of fun, earthy footwear that will make your feet itch to try them on.  In particular, we’re eyeing the Toepaz, whose comfortable, slip-on design will go with virtually everything and, best of all, is completely vegan/veggie-friendly and devoid of any animal byproducts.  If we break it down, its organic cotton canvas cover is lined with bamboo and attached to the recycled outsole (made of car tires) with water-based glues.  Did we mention that it has a natural latex pedbed and 100% post-consumer paper pulp foot forms?  Our feet are sighing with relief already.  Spruce up your wardrobe for $75 at www.simpleshoes.com.

Daily Greenz #140

Mama needs a new pair of shoes!  And what better time than now, in the aftermath of all that spring cleaning?  Terra Plana makes it that much more irresistible with their funky collection of eco-friendly shoes, like the quilted Juniper pump pictured here.  Not only is it ergonomic (i.e., very comfortable), it’s also made from recycled quilts from Pakistan and Bangladesh, with the forepart consisting entirely of recycled rubber.  Ever eco-responsible, Terra Plana makes all their shoes lightweight and sources material locally whenever possible, so as to minimize energy consumption.  This beautiful pump is available in four different quilt patterns and colors for $200 at www.terraplana.com.